Adjustable loom beam



June 9, 1953 J. K. COCHRAN 2,641,421

ADJUSTABLE LOOM BEAM Filed Dec. 22. 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .4 I 1 I I INVENTOR JOHN, K. COGHRAN ATTORNEYS Patented June 9, 1 953 ADJUSTABLE LOOM BEAM John K. Cochran, Conyngham, Pa., asslgnor to The Duplan Corporation, Hazleton, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application December 22, 1948, Serial No. 66,609 8 Claims. (01. 242-124) This invention relates to textile loom beams, and particularly to a textile loom beam construction having provision for varying the length thereof between flanges or heads.

The textile industry requires loom beams of different lengths between flanges to accommodate different widths of cloth to be woven. At the same time the loom beam must be constant in length over the gudgeons, that is,'it must havean axial support of constant length in order to fit in and be supported by the beam stands which are part of the looms and thus not readily adjustable in length. Various means have been used in the past to satisfy this requirement and provide loom beams varying in length between the heads or flanges, all dependent on the same principle that the flanges could be located near the end of the barrel portion of the beam at various points to provide the varying lengths required. In each instance, however, the flange.

was variable with respect to the barrel portion" of the beam.

I As the industry grew, larger loom beams were desirable. As the outside diameter of the beam increases, greater pressures acted on the flanges in an outward direction. It was necessary to strengthen the clamped or threaded attachment of the flanged heads to the barrel by providing greater bearing surface. Thus it was necessary to increase the length of the hub of the flange head so as to: increase the bearing surface against the barrel, and this, of course, required an increase in the length of the barrel. As greater length and greater strength were required, the

hub was increased to such an extent that there was little space left for adjustment. The result was that loom beams are being furnished in the industry today with flanged heads rigidly attached to the barrel for strength with no provision for adjustment of the length of the beam. Therefore, the industry needs a great many more loom beams of varying length tosatisfy the requirements.

It is the object of this invention to provide a' loom beam adjustable in length,

It is another object to provide an adjustable loom beam retaining the permanently fixed heads providing stronger construction.

' Other objects will be apparent after a study of the following description, claims, and drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a loom beam with portions cut away and shown in cross section to illustrate one form of the invention;

' Figure 2 is a front elevatiorral view of a spacer element;

2 Figure 3 is a front elevational view of two superimposed spacer elements forming an annular spacer;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the center portion of the loo-m beam of Figure 1 illustrating an annular spacer ready to be placed in position;

Figure 5 illustrates a modification. of the construction of the loom beam; and 1 Figure 6 illustrates another modification of th construction of the loom beam.

In accordance with this invention, cylinders are mounted on a threaded axial shaft, each cylinder having loom beam flanges or heads rigidly attached to the outer end or ends thereof, the

cylinder or cylinders being longitudinally movable on said threaded shaft. The nature of thestructure inaccordance with this invention may be more readily understood by referring to the drawings.

Reference to the length of the loom beam means the distance between the flanges or heads thereof.

In one form the barrel portion of the beam comprises two cylinders H and I2 mounted on the threaded axial shaft l3. Two looin beam heads l4 and I5 are securely attached to the outer ends of the cylinders l I and 12 by any suitable means, such as bolts l6, for instance. Each head 14 and I5 is secured to the end of its respective cylinder portion H and I2 so as to be movable and rotatable therewith.

The axial shaft l3 may be threaded substantially throughout its length except for the end portions thereof. The extreme end portions I! and 18 may be cylindrical for rotational axial mounting. The adjacent portion extending inwardly therefrom is preferably flattened on one, two or more surfaces, as indicated at 19 and 20 to provide a holding surface while adjustments are being made on the beam, in a mannerwell understood by those skilled in the art.

Each cylinder II and I2 has a longitudinal opening through the center thereof equal in di--- ameter to, and to receive, the threaded shaft l3.

Complementary threads are provided in the in-.

ternal or longitudinal openings of the cylinders so that each of the cylinders H and I2 may be.

cylinders H and 12, together with their respective heads l4 and 15, are threaded on the axial shaft I3 so that the inner ends thereof meet at the center of the beam. Similarly, the cylinders 3 may be rotated on the threaded shaft so as to move axially in opposite directions, and thus increase the distance between the heads l4 and I5, increasing the length of the overall loom beam.

Spacers are required, when the longer loom beams are to be used, to fill the gap or space between the inner ends of the cylinders It and t2 so as to complete the barrel portion of the loom beam. Suitable spacers, as illustrated in the drawings, particularly in Figures 2 and 3, may comprise arcuate sections which, when placed in complementary relationship will form complete annular spacers.

It is apparent that the outer diameter of? the complete annular spacer is equal to the outer diameter of the cylinders H and I2 forming the cylindrical barrel portion of the beam.

The arcuate sections illustrated in Figure 2- and designated by the reference numeral 21" may be madeof any suitable material. As may be seen, preferably thearcuatesection 2| is greater than 180 but less than 360" in circumference. The end portions of the sections are cut away soas tohave a thickness on each end thereof one half of the thickness of the section through the remaining'porti'onthereof. The cut away end portions are illustrated at 22 and 23 in Figure 2. The amount of end portion which is thus cut away is not critical.

For uniformity and for greater commercial use-- fullness, each arcuate section 2! should be identical with each of the other arcuate sections so that any two sections may be placed in complementa-ry relationship so-asto complete an annular spacer illustrated at 24 in Figure Thus the thickness of any one oi" the arcuate sections is equal to the thickness of each of the other aren ate sections. The end portion 22' of t'e section 21 is cut away on one face thereof, white the end portion 23 is cut away on the other face thereof. In this way, any twoarcuate sections may be placed in complementary position with overlapping end portions to form a complete annular spacer 24 of uniform thickness throughout the circumference thereof.

In order that the spacers maybe retained in position, and in order that each section com-'- prising a spacer may be retained in position with respect to the other, a pin 25 is provided, projecting laterally from one of the cutaway end portions 23. A corresponding opening'zt of equal diameter is providedin the other cutaway end portions 22. In this way, when two arcuate sections are placed in complementary relationship with overlapping end portions, the pin 25 of one sections will be inserted in a correspondingopem ing in the other arcuate section.

With pairs of arcuate sections being provided in this manner, the annular spacers 24 may be readily placed in position to fill the gap between. the inner ends of the cylinders If and I 2' and thus complete the barrel portion of the loom beam.

In addition to the pin 25- provided in the end portion of the arcuate section 2 i, additional projecting pins 2'1 and" 25 are provided at arbitrary points preferably equally spaced along the side of" the arcuate section. A corresponding and complementary opening 29 is provided on theopposite side of the section 2| at the corresponding radial point as the projecting pin 21. opening 29 is provided for each pin on each arcuate section, but on the opposite side thereon. Thus when the two sections are placed in complementary position to form the annular spacer 24 as described above, a plurality of pins 2'! will project laterally from one side of the spacer as shown more clearly in Figure 4, while a plurality of openings 29 will be in complementary position on the opposite side of the spacer to receive the projecting pins in a second spacer when desired.

Correspondmg openingsare provided in the end of one of the cylinders 12 and located to receive the projecting pins 2'! extending from the side of the spacer 24. The number of pins and the number of corresponding openings to receive the pins are not critical, and may be varied as desired, except that it will be apparent that any given mmlber should be chosen and followed: for each spacer 24 so that there will be uniformity and greater ease in assembling a plurality o! spacers where required.

The manner in which two arcuate sections 2| are placed together to form an annular spacer 24 is shown in Figure 3. The manner in which an annular spacer 24' is placed at the end of a cylinder I2 is shown in Figures l and- 4-. In Figure 4, the spacer 24 is shown inspaced relationship with respect to the end of the cylinder [-2 in order to clarify the nature of the structure. In assembly, it will be apparent that because of the axial shaft l3, each section 21 must be assem-- bled with its complementary section tocom-- plete-the annular spacer 24 around the axial shaft l3, ready for positioning at the end of the cylinder l2 of the beam. With the type structure illustrated and described, any number of spacers 2'4 may readily be placed in position between the inner ends of the cylinders If and 12' so as to increase the length of the loom beam by a desired amount. Thus the length of the beam will be limited only by the Tength of the axial shaft f3, and it will be apparent that with the type structure illustrated, the axial shaft [3 may be provided in comparatively long lengths, since the beammay be shortened to any desired length simply by removing the spacers and moving the cylinders axially on the shaft by means of the threads provided" thereon.

In Figure 5- a modification of the means for attaching the flanged head to the barret ortion of the: l'oor'rr beam isillustrated'. In accordance with this modification, the barrel portion H2" is tubular; that is, it does not have an inwardly extending endportion as shown in Fi ure 1. In accordance'with this modification, the flange H5 is held in position by means of a retaining bushing 35-. Retaining bushing 35' has a flanged outerend 36- which abuts against the side of the flange H15 so as to retain it in' position against the end of the barrel portion H2. The bushing 35 has a longitudinal opening through the center thereof which is threaded so as to engage the threaded axial shaft f3. The barrel portion H2 is securely fastened to the'bushing 35 by any suitable means, such as for instance. one or more pins 3'! which extend through the barrel H2 near the end thereof and into the bushing 35 as shown. Details. of this construction may vary. For. instance, the flange H5 may be attached to the end. of. the barrel by means such as bolts. The bushing may be force fitted, welded or pinned in place. With this arrangement, it may be seenthat the flange H5 securely attached to the end of the barrel portion I I2 so as to provide a loom beam comprising a cylindrical barrel with a flanged head securelyattached to the end thereof. The barrel portion l-li2- may be rotated for longitudinal movement thereof by virtue of the threaded engagement of the bushing 35 with the axial shaft 13.

With this type construction, the barrel portion of the loom beam may comprise two cylindrical members HI and H2 positioned in end to end relationship in the same manner as shown and previously described in connection with Figure 1. The other end of the barrel portion Hi may have a flanged head attached thereto in the same manner as that shown and described above in connection with the end of the barrel portion I 52. In this way, the spacers 24 may be inserted between the inner ends of the two cylindrical barrel portions in the same manner as previously described and illustrated in Figure 1, so as to provide adjustment of the length of the loom beam.

Another modification is shown in Figure 6. The barrel portion of the beam may comprise a tubular cylindrical member 212 again open at the ends. A flange H5 may be held in position against the outer end of the tubular barrel portion 212 by a retaining bushing 535 similar to that bushing illustrated in Figure 5 and described above. A flanged end 36 on the bushing !35 abuts against the side of the flange H5. The longitudinal opening in the bushing 135 is threaded for engagement with the threaded axial shaft 23 and the bushing I 35 secured to the barrel H2 in a desired manner as described above.

The barrel portion 212 is a single cylindrical tubular member extending substantially across the loom beam from one flange to the other. The spacers 26 may be inserted between one or both ends of the barrel portion 212 and the flange H5 with the bushing I35 providing spacing adjustment. In this Way, as before, the length of the loom beam between flange heads may be varied as desired while retaining the advantages of a flanged head rigidly attached to the barrel portion of the loom beam.

This structure provides an adjustable loom beam retaining the strength advantages of a fixed head, while providing the advantages of adjustment of the length of the beam. With this construction, standard parts may be manufactured and supplied, and the loom beam adjusted to any desired length by the user thereof. While preferable embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable loom beam comprising a barrel portion having head portions permanently fixed to the outer ends thereof and an axial shaft, said axial shaft being threaded throughout the length thereof, said barrel portion comprising two cylinders having inner concentric longitudinal threaded openings, each of said two cylinders being threadedly mounted on said shaft so as to move axially thereon, and spacers between the inner ends of said cylinders, each said spacer comprising arcuate sections placed in complementary relationship to form and complete an annular spacer.

2. The combination according to claim 1 in which said spacers comprise arcuate sections having cut away end portions on opposite faces thereof, a plurality of pins on one face thereof, and complementary openings in the other face thereof to locate and retain said sections in posi- 6 tion with respect to each other and with respect to said cylinders.

3. An adjustable loom beam comprising a barrel portion mounted on an axial shaft by means of a retaining bushing, a flanged head secured to the end of said barrel portion by means of said bushing, said bushing and said flanged head being longitudinally movable on and with respect to said axial shaft.

4. A loom beam in accordance with claim 3, in which said bushing is mounted on said axial shaft by threaded engagement therewith.

5. An adjustable loom beam comprising a cylindrical barrel portion mounted on an axial shaft by means of a retaining bushing, a flanged head secured to the end of said barrel portion, said flanged head being longitudinally movable with respect to said axial shaft, and a removable annular spacer between the end of said barrel portion and said flanged head.

6. An adjustable loom beam comprising a cylindrical tubular barrel portion, a flanged head rigidly secured to the outer end thereof, a retaining bushing, said bushing being threadedly engaged with an axial shaft and supporting thereon said barrel portion and said flanged head, said flanged head being rotatable and longitudinally movable with said barrel portion.

7. An adjustable loom beam comprising two cylindrical barrel-like portions having head portions secured in abutting relation against the outer ends of each thereof, an axial shaft, said axial shaft being threaded throughout the length thereof, each said cylindrical barrel portion having inner concentric longitudinal threaded openings and each being threadedly mounted on said shaft so as to move axially thereon, and spacers between the inner ends of said cylindrical barrel portions each said spacer comprising arcuate sections placed in complementary relationship to form and complete an annular spacer.

8. An adjustable loom beam comprising two cylindrical portions having head portions secured to the outer ends of each thereof, an axial shaft, said shaft being threaded throughout the length thereof, said cylindrical portions having inner concentric longitudinal threaded openings and each being threadedly mounted on said shaft so as to move axially therein, and spacers between the inner faces of said head portions, each said spacer comprising arcuate sections placed in complementary relationship to form and complete an annular spacer thereby to provide a complete cylindrical surface variable in length between said head portions.

JOHN K. COCHRAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 353,538 Burns et a1 Nov. 30, 1886 860,965 Davis July 23, 1907 2,141,610 Little .l, Dec. 27, 1938 2,190,013 Byers Feb. 13, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,000 Great Britain of 1880 295,766 Italy Jan. 27, 1931 765,748 France Mar. 31, 1934 800,546 France May 4, 1936 

